The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-14

dency to invite more roads to share this greai
volume OF business. Is IL not contrary Il
sound business principles, and in conflict with
public interests?
We read so often IN the papers OF war IL
rates to 81. Paul. DO we ever hear OF q war IN
rates in Mankat0? The roads will enter iatC
such spirited contest that rates are reduce(
below the cost for hauling goods, but rs sOOr
as this war is ended. the pool commission car
DE easily influenced to raise the rates to sucf
points as Mankato, and the severe losses In
CURED during the war are wholly or In part re
covered.
have II on good authority that the average
rate per ton per mile charged on the freight
hauled from Chicago 10 st. Paul on all classes
OF freight during the past year, was u triHt
over seven mills. Do the manufacturers and
merchants of Mankato get a rate OF sever
mills per ton per mile on freight OF the Lowest
classification
The development of our natural resources
is strangled under such a regime. viii the
capitalist desiring TO make an investment In
any enterprise seek any other than terminal
point? Will there be any thing but villages be
tween terminal points?
So long as Mankato is locked up in poo
force Southern Minnesota to remain tributary
to st. Paul and Minneapolis we will not be
come a great mart for the distribution OF
goods, neither will we be able to develop our
resources and find therefor an extended
market.
The people of the State vote their money
and bond their towns In aid OF some new road
the new road comes, fights for few days, then
the town is taken into the fold and put under
the Jurisdiction of apool commission and rates
are boosted up to the old mark. One OF the
most perniciOus systems is that OF rebating and
Il favored few are the only ones who reap any
benefit therefrom. The passage Of the Inter.
State Commerce Bill will deal out justice to
everyone and be productive Of greater gain to
the railroads. A shipper making application
for u rebate upon his tonnage should be met
with this answer from the general freight
agent: MIR. Smith, while / would be glad to
do all that is consistent and right, the LGW pro-
hibits our giving you a rebate" 1t remains
to be seen whether the railroads will take that
view OF it; II they do the young merchant with
limited capital, who has come into our midst
to build up a business and assist In the devel
opment of the country, will have an equal adj
vantage with his richer rival.
The problem of 1.-The long and short haul" ID
one of great magnitude and its solution is &C.
cupying the attention Of every business man.
The railroads contend that the rate per ton
per mile shonld be greater on the shnrtar
than on the longer haul, as the cost of hauling
aud the expense contingent to the shorter
haul is greater than II the freight was hauled
continuously to the end of the road. II the
Int 2fafa Ia tUifh
ments to the long and short haul clause, the
difference should be slight. 1t is customary
for the roads to make charge Of $500 I'm adj
dltion to the carload rates for stopping car
at station to allow the unloading Of part of
the freight and hauling the balance OF the
freight ON TO the further distance. This sum
then really represents the difference between
the cost of the short and long haul. This being
the case, the rate per ton per mile for haul
OF 100 miles should exceed the rate per ton per
mile for the long haul, only the $500 per car.
To reduce 1t to fgures,we will assume that the
average net weight of car is $4,000 pounds
which at $500 per car for 100 miles would
make the additional rate .OO3S7 cts. per ton per
mile. On the superstition that the long haul ID
based upon .0l5 cts. per ton per mile, the total
charge for the short haul Of 100 miles should
not exceed .0lS57 cts. per ton per mile; for q
haul OF 200 miles the rate per ton per mile
should be increased at the rate of $500 per car
tb rec hundred miles $500 per car, four hun.
dred miles 81. 90 per car and five hundred miles
should be regarded as a long haul, but to the
people generally It would be preferable thai
the same rate per ton per mile should obtain
for the short as for the long haul.
The Mankato Manufacturers and Jobbert
Union requested Congressman Wakefield tC
sustain and work for the passage OF the Inter
State Bill, particularly the clauses mentioned
and urged OH amendment ITO make it unlaw
full for any common carrier to charge a higher
rate per ton per mile for longer than for &
shorter haul on freights from one State des
tined to points in another State" thereby Civ
ing equal advantages TO every point In the
State. This is u marked contrast with the ef
forts put forth by the JObbers Union of st
Paul and should serve to show to the people Of
the State that Mankato is far from desiring
any legislation which could be construed n
based upon selfish IN olives.
The present bill does not cover the poin
which II is sought to add as an amendment
and it is doubtful, If it is within the provinces
| of any State Legislature operative. Mr.. Wake
field was urged TO use persistent efforts TO pre-
vent the elimination from the bill by amend
ment Of those clauses. The passage Of the bill
with the amendment alluded to IS an impera
tive necessity, and It should be the duty Of
every citizen to use his influence with tn,
Congressman and Senators of our State to sc
cure the desired result.
If there is any such disparagement as Il
claimed, in the cost OF transporting goods OF
the long and short haul, why is IL then tina
the rates from Chicago to Mankato, 435 miles
are neatly 100 per cent greater than the rate
from Chicago TO st. Paul, 40 miles2 Does no
great evil exist under such condition of af
fairs, and is not the position Of the railroad
untenable and inconsistent with the facts2
Is there any good reason why the people o.
Tracy should not be able to buy their goods q
Chicago and have them freighted to that poin
without being obliged to pay q rate that 4
sufficiently high to protect the st. Paul jobber
Should not the same rate per ton per mile ap
ply to all stations In this State as applies TO Of
from St Paul. Minneapolis or Winona?
The st, Paul Jobbers' Union fled com
plant with the railroad commissioners gains
the G. N, & st. p. Ry. Co. alleging discrimina
ton against st. Paul and demanding that the,
| be allowed rate to Blooming Prairie tina
would enable them to sell their goods to tn,
merchants of that place. Blooming Prairie 4
but 366 miles from Chicago. still the st. Pau
jobbers Insisted that they should be allowet
TO freight their goods from Chicago to St, Pau
40 miles, break bulk and have the goods re
billed and shipped to Blooming Prairie, 8
miles from st. Paul, or total distance OF 90
miles, for less than was charged for hauling 1
366 miles. Whether the G. NJ. & st. p. Ry con
ceded this point, the writer il unable to say
Certain 1t is. that the reply of the assIstan
general manager Of that road, was one wei
calculated to form the basis of an argumen
for the people against the practice of the rail
roads generally. This samest. Paul Jcbbers
Union now memorializes congress and asl
that the clauses that are intended to mete on
equal justice be taken from the bill; in fac
they protest against its passage. They ar,
shrewd enough to see that IL rates are equal
lied that they will have much of their 80 GALE,
territory taken from them. Shall we set idl,
by and allow them to shackle the letters tina
will bind US more securely to them, or shall
we, by the adoption of a vigorous policy, seel
the enactment of such laws as will free III
from injustice. II the goddess of Justice vii
remove that old towel that has blinded hel
eyes for 80 long and look us all over. I thinl
she would be tempted to wade in With her ON